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Bt-cowpea is genetically modified by insertion of gene Cry1Ab. It
is resistant to Maruca vitrata Fab., one of the main depredators of
cultivated and wild cowpea.

Bt-cowpea was genetically modified through a transformation
mediated by Agrobacterium. It expresses the gene Cry1Ab and it is
present in the tissues of the plant that confer it its resistance
to Maruca.

A second gene(Cry2AB) has been inserted to act as a backup for the
first insect resistance gene cry1AB.
The genetic modification is for insect resistance to Maruca vitrata
using the cry2Ab gene. The binary gene construct consists of
the Cry2Ab coding region with a chloroplast targeting peptide
(MBE) and selective marker gene nptII conferring resistance to the
antibiotic kanamycin.

Recipient Organism or Parental Organisms

The term Recipient organism refers to an organism (either already modified or non-modified) that was subjected to genetic modification, whereas Parental organisms refers to those that were involved in cross breeding or cell fusion.

Notes regarding the genetic elements introduced or modified in this LMO

The sequence of the Cry1Ab is derived from the kurstaki HD1
lineage of Bacillus thuringiensis. The gene is modified for optimal
expression in plants by removing a polyadenelation signal,
increasing the AT content and removing destabilising
sequences.

The NptII gene (971 bp) is under the control of an unknown promoter
(531bp) and terminator (138 bp) originating from Subterranean
clover stunt virus. The expression cassette also contains an intron
from the Catalase I gene from Ricinus communis which
reduces the expression of the gene in bacteria.

The binary gene construct consists of the Cry2Ab coding
region with a chloroplast targeting peptide (MBE) and selective
marker gene nptII conferring resistance to the antibiotic
kanamycin. Modification was by Agrobacterium tumifaciens.